'F***ed off man hot for me over there at mo': Gun plotter's text to pal after fleeing country

A man who fled the country after a loaded gun and bullets were found at his Stockport home texted a friend saying he had 'f****d off' as it was 'hot for me over there at mo.'

The revolver and ammunition were found hidden in a cupboard when officers raided the property in Edgeley shared by Joshua, 28, and Tyler Gibbons, 22.

Their DNA along with that of a third man, Jordan Proctor, 33, was found on the weapon following the warrant on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Detectives later discovered that hours after the trio heard the news of the raid, they met up to plan their next move.

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Joshua Gibbons decided to flee to South America and boarded a flight to Suriname on the continent's north east coast. Texts he sent to a friend were uncovered in which he said he had he’d ‘f***ed off man hot for me over there at mo’.

After two months in the sun, on August 26, 2022. Joshua Gibbons returned to the UK via the ferry port at Holyhead in North Wales. Knowing he was wanted, he handed himself in at Cheadle Heath Police Station.

Proctor was held after police raided his address on Hall Fold in Whitworth, near Rochdale, on September 5. Tyler Gibbons was then arrested at his and his brother's address at Durham House, Edgeley, on Thursday, November 15.

Detectives at GMP established that on Saturday, June 4, Joshua Gibbons had travelled to Whitworth to collect the firearm from Proctor. However, shortly afterwards Gibbons was involved in a crash and CCTV footage showed him, according to the police, 'removing the firearm from the vehicle before police arrived at the scene.'

The trio were charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm and conspiracy to possess ammunition.